Uterine didelphys with unilateral hematometra, hemicolpos, and ipsilateral renal agenesis is a rare m01lerian duct malformation. Uterine didelphys with an obstructed hemivagina is frequently associated with renal agenesis, mostly ipsilateral to the blind vaginal pouch. Accurate early diagnosis and septal resection elevate pregnancy rate and birth rate but it is difficult to find these malfomations until the complication associated with pregnancy was developed. We report a case of successful gestational outcome in the presence of preterm labor due to hematometrocolpora caused by uterine didelphys with unilateral imperforated vagina and ipsilateral renal agenesis with brief review of the literatures.
Birth Rate ; Early Diagnosis ; Female ; Hematometra ; Obstetric Labor, Premature ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Rate ; Uterus* ; Vagina

The cysteine proteases of Paragonimus westermani metacercariae are involved in metacercarial excystment, host immune modulation, and possibly in tissue penetration. In order to clarify the origin of the enzymes, 28 and 27 kDa cysteine proteases in metacercarial excretory-secretory products were purified through the FPLC system using Mono Q column chromatography. The polyclonal antibodies to the enzymes were produced in BALB/c mice. Immunolocalization studies revealed that both cysteine proteases were distributed at the linings of excretory bladder and excretory concretions of the metacercariae. It was suggested that the excretory epithelium of P. westermani undertake the secretory function of metacercarial cysteine proteases, in addition to its role as a route for eliminating waste products.
Animals ; Chromatography, Liquid ; Computational Biology ; Cysteine Endopeptidases/analysis/isolation & purification/*physiology ; Immunohistochemistry ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Paragonimus/anatomy & histology/*enzymology ; Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

In this report, a case of a 70-year-old man with a large ganglion cyst formed after anterior transposition of the left ulnar nerve is presented. Three months after the index surgery, the patient presented with a painless superficial ovoid, soft mass measuring 5x4x2 cm in size located at the posteromedial aspect of the left elbow, the previously operated site. Magnetic resonance imaging showed a well demarcated cystic mass with a stalk connecting to the elbow joint. Excisional biopsy was performed and pathologic findings showed that the cystic wall had no definite lining cells with myxoid degeneration compatible with findings of ganglion cyst.
Aged ; Biopsy ; Cubital Tunnel Syndrome ; Elbow ; Elbow Joint ; Ganglion Cysts* ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Ulnar Nerve*

No abstract available.
Gait* ; Humans ; Spinal Cord Diseases*

OBJECTIVES: Radiofrequency(RF) ablation is an effective and low risk curative treatment for supraventricular arrhythmias. Catheter ablation produced cardiac lesions primarily through formation of coagulation necrosis. We evaluated the degree of myocardial injury after RF catheter ablation by means of serial measurement of myocardial enzyme. METHODS: Fifty-one patients with symptomatic supraventricular tachycardia were included. There were 32 men and 19 women(mean age. 39.5+/-15.4 years)All patients underwent electrophysiologic study to detect accessary pathway and ablation with radiofreguency current. A mean of 18.3+/-14.2 radiofrequency pulses were delivered. The pulses were at a power of 50 to 60 Volts for a duration of 20 to 30 seconds. Unipolar method and a 6F or 7F catheter with a 4 mm tip electrode was used. LDH, CPK and Ck-MB as a kind of cardiac enzyme were measured before and after ablation. RESULTS: 1) The concentration of LDH and CPK were elecated at 8 hours and 16 hours after ablation (p<0.05). 2) The concentration of CK-MB was elevated at 8 hours, 16 hours, 24 hours and 72 hours after ablation(p<0.05). 3) There was no correlation between the number of applications and amounts of radiofrequency current and rise in LDH, CPK, CK-MB concentration. CONCLUSION: The concentration of LDH, CPK and CK-MB were elevated after ablation but they were within normal limits. RF catheter ablation produced myocardial damage inevitably but were within normal limits. RF catheter ablation produced myocardial damage inevitably but minimally, then RF ablation is an effective and safe therapeutic modality for patients with symptomatic tachyarrhythmias.
Arrhythmias, Cardiac ; Catheter Ablation* ; Catheters ; Electrodes ; Humans ; Male ; Necrosis ; Tachycardia ; Tachycardia, Supraventricular*

PURPOSE: Several studies have described age-associated brow drooping in Westerners. However, there are few studies that address brow drooping in the Asian population, and especially in the Korean population. Therefore, we studied brow position changes with age in Korean individuals. METHODS: A total of 300 adults older than 18 years were enrolled. The ImageJ program was used to analyze digital photos of the patients by measuring the following parameters: marginal reflex distance-1, brow-to-pupil distance, nasal ala-lateral brow distance, lateral brow plumb line, and the angle formed by the line from the mid pupil to the midline of the brow and a line from the midline of the brow to the lateral brow. We divided the patients into three groups (18 to 40, 41 to 60, older than 61) and compared them using the ANOVA test. RESULTS: Group A included 100 patients between 18 and 40 years of age. Group B included 100 patients between 41 and 60 years of age. Group C included 100 patients older than 61 years. There were significant differences between groups A and C and between groups B and C with regard to marginal reflex distance-1, brow-to-pupil distance and the angle. Lateral brow plumb line showed significant difference only between groups A and B. Nasal ala-lateral brow distance was not significantly different across the three groups. CONCLUSIONS: We sought to describe the physiologic facial changes that occur in Korean individuals. We also hoped to establish guidelines for ptosis corrective surgery. We used various parameters to characterize the aging process in Asians. Our data demonstrated that, like Westerners, Koreans experience lateral brow drooping with age; however, this change was only significant in the group aged >61 years.
Adult ; Aging ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Hope ; Humans ; Pupil ; Reflex

No abstract available.
Ankle*

BACKGROUND: Measurement of echocardiographic mitral valve area (MVA) is an useful noninvasive method of estimating the stenotic mitral valve area. This study was undertaken to evaluate the accuracy of echocardiographic MVA measurement by comparing MVAs measured by the planimetric and pressure half-time method versus direct MVA measurement by using a cone shaped device specifically made for direct measurement of MVA. METHODS AND RESULTS: The study population consisted of 22 consecutive patients from August 1993 to February 1996. All the patients underwent 2D planimetry and Doppler echocardiographic MVA measurement before and after valve replacement surgery ; direct measurement also was performed after surgery. Five patients (22.7%) had normal sinus rhythm, and the rest of the patients had atrial fibrillation. Two-dimensional echocardiographic examinations were attempted in 22 patients, and adequate measurements were obtained in 21 of the patients studied. Mean mitral valve area were 0.99+/-0.32cm (2) ranged from 0.42 to 1.68cm (2) on 2D planimetry method, 0.93+/-0.32cm (2) ranged from 0.42 to 1.68cm (2) on Doppler pressure half-time method, 1.17+/-0.20cm (2) ranged from 0.93 to1.68cm (2) on direct measurement of mitral valve area after surgery. 2D planimetry method (r=0.621, p=0.003, SE=0.165), pressure half-time method (r=0.454, p=0.003, SE=0.187), and transmitral peak velocity (r=-0.480, p=0.026, SE=0.189) was relatively well correlate with operative mitral valve area. There was relatively good agreement between direct and 2D planimetric measurement and between direct and Dopler pressure-half time method. CONCLUSION: 2D planimetry and Doppler pressure half-time method on echocardiography are useful, noninvasive measurement method in patients with mitral stenosis.
Atrial Fibrillation ; Echocardiography* ; Humans ; Mitral Valve Stenosis* ; Mitral Valve*

BACKGROUND: It was recently shown that human atherosclerotic plaque contains large numbers of T lymphocytes : this indicates that immune and inflammatory mechanism may be important factors in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. By measuring the soluble interleukin 2 receptor(sIL-2R) level we can evaluate the activation of T lymphocyte. The purpose of this study is to evaluate relationship between T cell activation and ischemic heart disease by measuring the soluble interleukin 2 receptor (sIL-2R) level in patient with ischemic heart disease. METHOD: Seventy-two patients(40 males and 32 female, mean age : 56.5+/-9.9 years) who were taken coronary angiography were included in this study. Among them, 49 patients showed abnormal coronary angiographic findings and 23 patients showed normal coronary angiographic findings. Ten mililiters of arterial blood was drawn at the time of coronary angiography. The blood was allowed to coagulate and then the serum was removed and tested in duplicate for soluble interleukin 2 receptor (sIL-2R) level by ELISA. RESULTS: 1) The soluble interleukin 2 receptor (sIL-2R) level was significantly different between abnormal coronary angiographic findings and normal coronary angiographic findings (P < 0.001). 2) According to clinical severity of ischemic heart disease (i.e. stable angina, unstable angina, acute myocardial infarction.), soluble interleukin 2 receptor (sIL-2R) level was not significantly different between single vessel disease group and multivessels disease groups (p > 0.05), but showed increasing tendency with clinical severity. 3) According to numbers of involved coronary vessels, soluble interleukin 2 receptor (sIL-2R) level was not significantly different between single vessel disease group and multivessels disease groups (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: T lymphocyte activation, as reflected in elevated soluble interlekin 2 receptor (sIL-2R) level, is frequent in patient with ischemic heart disease. In the further we will investigate relationship between clinical diagnosis of ischemic heart disease of the numbers of involved coronary vessels and T cell activation.
Angina, Stable ; Angina, Unstable ; Atherosclerosis ; Coronary Angiography ; Coronary Vessels ; Diagnosis ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Female ; Humans ; Interleukin-2 ; Lymphocyte Activation ; Lymphocytes ; Male ; Myocardial Ischemia* ; Plaque, Atherosclerotic ; Receptors, Interleukin-2 ; T-Lymphocytes

BACKGROUND: Mitral regurgitation is a valvular heart disease that produce complex hemodynamic alternations and myocardial dysfunction occurs subclinically, so result in a high incidence of left ventricular dysfunction that might affect postoperative result. In order to assess preoperative factors affecting the outcome of mitral valve replacement in patients with chronic mitral regurgitaion, we evaluated prognostic factors from preoperative clinical, laboratory, and echocardiographic findings in 71 patients with chronic mitral regurgitation who received mitral valve replacement. METHODS: From 1985 to 1994, 71 patients with chronic mitral regurgitation, who received mitral valve replacement, were included in this study. The patients were defined as group I who had improved symptom and / or decreased left ventricular end-diastolic dimension after operation, and group II who had persistent symptom and / or over 60mm of left ventricular end-diastolic dimension after operation. RESULTS: 1) In clinical findings, preoperative systolic blood pressure was higher in Group I patients(p<0.05). 2) Hemoglobin, serum creatinine, and blood urea nitrogen level were not significantly different in both groups. 3) In echocardigraphic findings, left atrial dimension, left ventricular end-systolic / end-diastolic dimension, and left ventricular volume index of Group II were much higher than those of Group I patients(p<0.05). 4) In the discriminant analysis, left ventricular end-diastolic dimension, age, NYHA functional class, and left ventricular mass index were defined as important prognostic factors. CONCLUSION: According to the above results, preoperative age, NYHA functional class are significant prognostic factors in clinical and laboratory findings. And left atrial dimension, left ventricular end-systolic and end-diastolic dimensions, left ventricular volume index, and left ventricular mass index are significant prognostic factors in echocardiographic findings.
Blood Pressure ; Blood Urea Nitrogen ; Creatinine ; Echocardiography ; Heart Valve Diseases ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Incidence ; Mitral Valve Insufficiency* ; Mitral Valve* ; Ventricular Dysfunction, Left